About Us

Road Map For Prosperity for the US-Mexico Border Region

ABOUT THE PROJECT:

The project team hosted twelve focus groups spanning all of the US-Mexico border states as a critical part of the data collection process for the study. These dialogues, between the team and the 150 border leaders and experts who to attended the sessions, provided an additional layer of insight into the border issues. It revealed the potential benefits of greater cooperation and the associated challenges.

Dr. Ray Perryman, leader of the research team states,

“Much of the analysis we are doing is purely quantitative in nature and will reveal patterns of potential opportunities in a systematic manner. However, no mathematics, no matter how rigorous, can substitute for the insights, wisdom, and knowledge of those who live and work along the border every day. There are limits to what numbers can tell you, and we are excitedly looking to these key leaders to give us ‘the rest of the story.”

Maintaining NAFTA and continuing to expand the linkage among the ten Border States will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in annual Gross Domestic Product in the United States and Mexico. The study shows that expanding border trade will bring 700,000 New Jobs and $70 Billion in Annual Gross Product in the United States and 100,000 New Jobs & $5 Billion in Annual Gross Product in Mexico. It is a win-win for the economies of both nations.

THE LEADERSHIP TEAM:

John E. Carlson
Chariman

With nearly four decades of experience in the construction industry, John Carlson has been involved in the acquisition and execution of more than 50 alternative delivery projects totaling more than $2.5 billion. Currently, John serves as a Senior Vice President and Corporate Strategic Business Officer at Sundt Construction. In addition to leading the legislative, government and industry relations efforts for the company, John assists in alternate delivery of strategic projects for Sundt’s company-wide work in its building, transportation and industrial projects. John was promoted to his current role after serving as the Senior Vice President, Texas District where he was responsible for Sundt’s building and transportation work throughout the state. During this time, he established the firm’s San Antonio office and was instrumental in securing various large-scale projects. Before moving to Texas, John worked out of Sundt’s headquarters in Tempe, Arizona, leading business development efforts for the heavy civil division. A second-generation Sundt employee-owner, John began his construction career as a laborer in 1979 and worked in various roles as an engineer, estimator, foreman, surveyor and QC technician at Sundt. He briefly left for two years and returned in 1989 to work in the heavy civil division as a project manager. During his tenure as project manager, he worked in eight states and the Philippines on various building projects.

John holds a B.S. in construction management from Arizona State University. He earned his Professional Design-Build certification in 2007 from the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) and was appointed by Sundt’s CEO as the company’s first ethics committee chairman. John is also a graduate of Sundt’s first LEAP (Leadership Excellent Accelerates Performance) class in 2004.

Ryan Richardson
Vice-Chairman

AS THE CHIEF OF AHMSA INTERNATIONAL, RYAN RICHARDSON RUNS THE U.S. AND CANADIAN SALES AND DISTRIBUTION FOR MEXICO’S LARGEST INTEGRATED STEEL PRODUCER. HE REPRESENTS ALTOS HORNOS DE MEXICO AS THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BORDERNOMICS ALLIANCE, THROUGH PRIVATE INITIATIVE WITH PUBLIC COLLABORATION TO INCREASE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL US-MEXICO BORDER STATES.

RYAN HAS SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY, HONORED THE FALLEN PERFORMING FUNERALS, RECOVERING THE PENTAGON CRASH SITE IN THE WAKE OF THE SEPTEMBER 11TH TERRORIST ATTACKS, AND GUARDING THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.

HE HAS SERVED IN VARIOUS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS, AND PERFORMED COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

Tracye McDaniel
Secretary

TRACYE MCDANIEL is founder and CEO of McDaniel Strategy Ecosystems, A strategic business management firm laser-focused on innovative, customized solutions that deliver results. The firm leverages a vast ecosystem of organizations and professionals that position our clients to win. Throughout her thirty-year career, McDaniel has advised and supported five governors (Governor Ann Richards, Governor George Bush, Governor Rick Perry and Governor Greg Abbott in Texas and Governor Chris Christie in New Jersey) in all facets of public and private sector management, policy, international trade, marketing and economic development. She has led economic development efforts in over 51 countries. McDaniel is a trusted advisor to CEOs, nonprofits, economic development organizations, public organizations and private enterprises.